Some New Montana Residents Are Sick and Tired of This

If you spend much time on social media, you'll likely see people complaining about something that bothers them.

I live in Manhattan and often check out the Manhattan, Montana Facebook page to stay updated on what's happening around town. The page is meant to be informative, but some people use it to vent their personal frustrations rather than inform their community.

I recently saw a post about trains and how some people feel they're a nuisance. Most of the complaints about trains were due to the fact that they blow their horns at all hours of the night. The train horn is a safety feature that alerts people that a train is approaching a railroad crossing. There are quite a few railroad crossings in Montana.

Since moving to Montana, I've lived within a half-mile of train tracks. To be honest, the sounds of trains and train horns don't bother me much. However, some people hate the noise associated with trains. Many people are unaware that federal and state regulations require train engineers to sound the horn when approaching a crossing.

In much of Montana, small towns were created because of the railroad. Trains are also incredibly important when it comes to moving goods across the country.

If you live in a railroad town in Montana, the sound of trains is something that you get used to. If you have a problem with trains and train horns, you may want avoid living in a place where they are common or close-by. They're a vital part of our history and economy, and complaining about them on social media isn't going to change anything.